A roster of the B-50-30 class box cars is provided as follows:

	SP 109100-110099 	(re#'d  SP 170492-171489)	
				(re#'d  SP 661001-661100)
				(re#'d  SP 6xxxxx )

These 50'-6" box cars were all built to the same basic design by SP in 1952-53 and featured 4963 ft3 capacity, 8'-0" Youngstown doors, Apex running boards and ASF A-3 trucks. These cars were also re#'d to various SP 6xxxxx series numbers for assigned loading. It is very difficult to get a hold on this as many cars were frequently re-numbered and later given their previous numbers once the assigned service was concluded to only be re-numbered again for other assigned services.

One member of this class was rebuilt with plexiglass sides to study the effects of impact forces on cargo. This research led to the development of the Hydra-Cushion underframe used under many SP freight cars. Car number SP 109776 was re-numbered as SP 200 for the program and eventually re-numbered SP 171181. Drawings of the plexiglass conversion are available from the CSRM. Trains magazine, March 1959, has a back cover photo showing the interior of the car. Also, "Southern Pacific First Century" (a small booklet published by the SP) has a photo of the car on page 100.

For more information on these cars, see the February and March 1993 issues of Railroad Model Craftsman magazine for an in depth article by Tony Thompson.

Photo by: Bob Dengler

Back to Box Car Page

Back to Main Page